Manchester Police Arrest Alleged Cat Killer

MANCHESTER — — Police have arrested a man accused of killing a cat and leaving the animal's bludgeoned body at the home of a rival for a young woman's attention.

Johnen Velez, 19, of Hartford, was arrested last week and charged with cruelty to animals, first-degree threatening, first-degree harassment, breach of peace and trespassing. He was being held Monday on bail of $75,000 and is to appear in Superior Court in Manchester on May 10.

Police were called to an East Middle Turnpike home on Oct. 26. A pillowcase containing a dead cat had been tied around a railing outside the house, and a threatening note had been left on a vehicle in the driveway, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

A necropsy found internal injuries in the cat's abdomen that were consistent with blunt force trauma, the warrant says.

Police learned that Velez and a young man who lives at the East Middle Turnpike home had dated the same woman, the warrant says. The woman and Velez broke up in September, and she reportedly wanted to reunite with the other man.

Investigators spoke with the woman, who said Velez had threatened and pushed her in the past and had recently sent her a threatening text message.

Velez's fingerprints were found on the threatening note left at the East Middle Turnpike home, the warrant says.

Velez also was wanted on separate warrants charging him with violation of probation, risk of injury to a minor, failure to respond and failure to appear in court, the warrant says.